AN: Synopsis: Pancho is your average dog. He's a bit dim, but well-meaning, and completely loyal to his family of People. His favorite Person is Bunny, a teenager. He's completely dedicated to her, but when he sees the signs that his old friend Jake pointed out to him that hint towards Bunny leaving him in the future, he is consumed with worry and decides that he must follow her to see where she goes every day, to ensure that she doesn't leave him. Unfortunately, the city is a much bigger place than he thought, and he quickly finds himself trapped in a bitter battle between rival packs of stray dogs...

P r o l o g u e

Come here

Sit down

And I will tell you a story

The story of a dog

The dog with the night-colored fur

The Bandit

At first, his dreams were of the usual fare; there was that squirrel that always managed to leap over the fence before he could catch it, that delicious, alluring scent of cheese, the sweet sound of birds singing just outside. But then a cat raced through his dreams, fur wild and eyes bright, and in his sleep he shuddered, for even the smallest pup knows that dreaming of a cat was a bad omen. And as the cat streaked through his dreaming mind, darkness streaming from its tail, he felt the quiet certainty only found in dreams: something was going to change.

Flames flickering

Smoke catching in his throat

Crackling

Burning

Fire

The sensations flitted through his mind too quickly for him to process; they seemed to flutter past on black, nightmarish wings as they blazed through him.

Gray fur

White paws

Bright smile

Her name…?

He shifted in his sleep, a quiet whimper forcing its way out of his throat. And then there was a shift, as the slew of sensory attacks halted, bringing forth a bright, clear picture: a true memory, slightly worn around the edges, but brilliant and whole.

"You've got to be careful," he heard the older dog rasp. He peered through the hole in the wooden face, tail wagging with anxiety. The dog who gazed back at him had dull brown eyes; once, they had been lit from within, kindled by a warm flame, but now that his Person was gone, the older dog was tired, weary.

"Careful of what, Jake?" he whispered, fear making the fur on his neck rise.

"They leave. People all leave, one way or another. You've got to know the signs. You can't be taken by surprise…not like I was. Big Tim is gone now, and there's nothing I can do…."

He let out a low whine, wishing that he could break through the fence and help his friend, but the wood was as thick and sturdy as ever.

"People start to grow up," Jake continued. "They don't want to talk to you anymore. They seem forget all the games you used to play. They might even try to kick you off of their bed. Those are the signs you watch for. But above all, make sure they are still riding the big-yellow-full-of-children-thing when they leave home. Remember that, you understand? After they stop doing that, it's only a short matter of time before they leave…not very long at all before they bid their parents goodbye, before the salty-eye-water drips from their faces, before they hug you in farewell and disappear forever….Remember that…." He let out a deep, quiet sigh, resting his head on his paws and staring blankly in front of him.

"I will," he promised fervently, but the older dog's eyes were glazed, and he knew that the golden-furred male was no longer truly there. He whined, scratching at the fence helplessly with one paw, but still Jake did not move.

It would be two more hours before Jake's People, Big Tim's Mother and Father, found the old dog's body.

In his sleep he made a low, keening sound, old grief brought back by the dream-memory; as far back as he could remember, the older dog had always been there for him, until his special Person, Big Tim, had left, reducing the golden dog to empty desolation. He had passed away not even two months later.

Absentmindedly, his Girl reached over and rubbed his head, soothing his quiet agony.

AN: I almost can't believe it's NaNo time again! Hopefully this isn't tooo confusing. Basically, Jake (a yellow Lab. Retriever) was owned by a family who had a son, who was called 'Big Tim' by Jake. Big Tim went off to college, and Jake was distraught. Jake was already really old (about fourteen, which is old for any dog but practically ancient for Labs) and he died roughly two months after BT left. Pancho (our MC) was his neighbor and witnessed his death.

As for the other dreams...well.

Currently at 613 words (I don't count ANs, of course!)

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